On the Plains, bitterly cold air blankets the northwestern half of the region, where Friday morning’s lows ranged from 0 to -30°. Snow is insulating winter wheat across the northern Plains, but some wheat from eastern Colorado to southwestern Nebraska has been exposed to sub-zero readings. Farther south, wintry precipitation (snow, sleet, and freezing rain) continues to cause travel disruptions across the southeastern Plains.

In the South, a severe winter storm—featuring snow, sleet, and freezing rain—is underway across the Ozark Plateau and neighboring areas. Rain is developing across much of the remainder of the South, although warm, mostly dry weather prevails in the southern Atlantic region.

In the West, cold, dry weather prevails. Freeze Warnings were in effect early Friday for much of central and southern California and the Desert Southwest. For the second day in a row, many of California’s citrus producers are utilizing protective measures to guard against the crop-threatening cold wave.